NMS Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Newport Beach said...

NMS Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Newport Beach said Thursday that it has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to begin selling an in-home test kit to detect internal bleeding.

NMS claims the test, called EZ-Detect, can detect hidden blood in the stool, an occurrence that can be a symptom of medical disorders ranging from hemorrhoids to cancer of the colon or rectum.

The company said the test kit, which will be available without prescription, is used by dropping a chemically treated biodegradable tissue paper into the toilet bowl after a bowel movement. Within minutes, a distinct color mark will appear to indicate the presence of hidden blood in the stool.

The test is the second new detection kit the company has released this year. Earlier, NMS received FDA approval to sell a blood test for allergies to hospitals and clinics.